President James Knox Polk (1795-1849). Daguerreotype created by Matthew Brady in
1849. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, LC-USZC4-6742.

Marcellus Duval

In another letter to the President, Duval argued that Jesup's proclamation of freedom had been illegal. He then restated a familiar line of pro-slavery reasoning, adding that even if the proclamation were legal, such a notion was unthinkable because it threatened the stability of the South:

"By emancipating these slaves, (had we the right to do so), an inducement would be held out to all slaves in our southern community in time of war to take part with our enemies
-- until some general should see proper to buy them off with promises of freedom."